Published on Friday 13 May 2022
Work on the next phase of the new sustainable travel route linking Poole town centre with Wareham Road is set to start in Hamworthy, later this month.
The improvement works continue on from the recently completed new cycle and pedestrian route along Rigler Road through the Holes Bay development site and will follow the existing bridleway on the banks of Holes Bay, to the rear of the Cornerstone Academy, eventually linking into Hinchliffe Road.
The work will include upgrading the existing bridleway with a bitmac surface, widening it in parts and improving drainage. Footway and safety improvements will also be made on Blandford Close.
In order to undertake the work, the bridleway will need to be closed and a diversion in place until early autumn. BCP Council has been working closely with Natural England to make sure the planned works have no adverse impact on the local wildlife and natural habitat.
The improvements are being funded through BCP and Dorset councils’ Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme. This project is part of a new 11km sustainable travel route from Poole town centre to Holton Heath, which is part of TCF’s network of new cycle and walking routes and improvements to bus infrastructure across south east Dorset.
Councillor Mike Greene, BCP Council’s portfolio holder for transport and sustainability said:
"This new sustainable travel route through Hamworthy has already made good progress with the opening of the first section of shared walking and cycling path from Rigler Road to Blandford Close, as well as improvements made to the cycle lane on Rigler Road from the Twin Sails Bridge.
"This second phase will add further, safe cycling and walking infrastructure, away from the busy main roads in Hamworthy. As well as providing a new green route into and out of Poole Town Centre, this will give greater choice for pupils at Cornerstone Academy to make an active, healthy journey to school."
Plans for these improvements were informed by responses gathered during public engagement in late 2020 and formal consultation which ran from 24 February to 31 March 2021. Further information about the plans is available here.